Excavating-machine.



No. 879,231. PATBNTED PEB. is, 1908.

P. M. WRABBK.

BXGAVATING MACHINE.

APYLIOATION FILED NOV. 5. 1907.

I jf

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1.908.

i .Application filed November 5| 1907. Serial No. 400|870.

To' all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK M, WRABEK, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lesueur Center, in the county of 4Lesueur and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Excavating-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

` This invention .relates to excavating machines, and has for its principal object to provide a machine of novel construction for the digging of trenches, ditches, or for dredging purposes.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an excavating device of the endless chain type, `in which provision is `made for adjusting the depth of cut as well as adjusting the angle of the side walls of the out, so that the ban may be cut away at the required angle in proportion to the depth and the angle of cut maintained the same through out the entire length of the excavation.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlyT pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of an excavating machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the buckets.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. 1

7:The mechanism is carried by any suitable support which may be in the form of a wheeled car where the device is to operate on land, or it may be in the form of a vessel for ditching or dredgin operations.

From the forwar end of the carrier or support 10 extends a beam 11, to the bottom of which is secured a horizontally disposed guide 12 extending transversely of the beam and arranged to receive a carriage 13. This carriage may be adjusted laterally of the beam and any suitable adjusting means, such, for instance, as a screw 14, may be employed for the purpose. The carriage 13" carries a second vertically adjustable carriage 15 which may be raised and lowered by means of a screw 16, and at the lower end of this carriage 15 is a shaft 17 carrying a pair of sprocket wheels 18. The construction of the partsas described is such that the shaft 17 may be raised and lowered and may be adjusted horizontally.

Secured to one side ofthe beam is a guide 20 on which'is arranged a vertically adjustable carriage 21, and this carriage 21 carries a second carriage 22 that is adjustable laterally of the machine. The carriage 22 carries a shaft 23 on which are mounted a pair of sprocket wheels 24, and said carriage 21 may be adjusted both vertically and horizontally.

Extending from the beam 11 is an arm 26, the outer end of which is provided with an elongated slot for the reception of a bearing block 27, in which is mounted a shaft 28 carrying a pair of sprocket wheels 29. The block 27 may be adjusted lengthwise of the slot by meansof a suitable screw 30, the extent of adjustment depending on the adjustment of the twovshafts 17 and 23.

Extending over the several sprocket' instance, and these belts carry buckets 32,

which may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as b providing the links of the belt and the buc et with ears or lugs that are connected by transverse pins 33. This mechanism is arranged in advance of the carrier 10, and when the link belts are operated, the buckets will dig into the dirt as they travel between the sprocket wheels 18 and 24, and will carry the dirt over the sprocket wheel 29, the latter wheels being arranged in a vertical lane beyond the side of the cutting, so that the dirt may be deposited in such position as to prevent its falling back into the excavation.

The shaft 17 may be adjusted vertically in order to control the depth of cut, and the two shafts 17 and 23 may be adjusted laterally of the machine in order to alter the angle of the link belts as they pass from the sprocket wheels 18 to the s rocket wheels 24, so that the angle of the si e wall of the cut may be adjusted as desired, the angle being varied in accordance with the character of the wall and the nature of the excavation.

In order to effect the desired adjustment, the screw 30 is first loosened in order to allow is the driven shaftyis sucheasf toallow-thev necessary 1 adjustment ofisaid shaft' yWithout l5" been accomplis ed, the screw or screws' 30' may be agam turned in order to move the shaft' 28 outward and ltighten the belts.

The operating mechanism vmaybe orany Y- desired construction and driven in any suitable 4manner from any engine or other` :motor on the'carxrier 10. The'conn'ection between thezmotorrand thev shaft-28 Whichpref-erably interfering withthe transmissionfof power.

While` itis preferred to employ; a'f airof v flink beltsrto-carryv the buckets itis io vious that single belts may b'erusedontherpurpose and the` belts attached lto'thebuckets'at a struction shownzin Fig. yeachbuckethaving a toothed digging. edge and :being preferably :provided with bottom -openings in `:orderwto means l fors adjusting thebearingUblock, f a shaft:y carried. by midi-bearing Y'bl'ocl ,4 a' 'sprocket/wheel s onv said shaft,flinkfbelts fco'n- .nectingzthe' sprocket .wheels ,r andeXcava-ting l -tlbuckets;carriedfbyaidhlinkbelts.

point midway'of .the ends-of the latter.

The buckets 32f'are preferablyofvfthe conpermit the escape ofliqidmatter.

I claimzv 'f 1. .In avmachine of theclass described, a: sup ort,a plurality vof sprocket wheels,'f.zan. l-end ess belt excavator f guided.;aro.undf1said l sprocket wheels, i and: :bearings carrying 4'said -sprocket wheels, eachof? said bearings being adjustable independent ioitea'chfofthe :other bearings. v

2. In' a` machine .of -thefolassdescribed; a support, a pairofidouble; carriages carriedby l`the. support,=vthe'primary and secondary members-'of leach' carriagey being adjustable atan angle to each other, sprocket wheels supported by the secondary members of the carriage; a third sprocket Wheel fadjustable `Yindependently of the other two, andan endless belt excavator eXtending around said sprocket wheels.

"'3."""In' al machine of the class' described', a support; afbeam projecting therefrom, vertica and horizontal guides on said beam, primary carriagesffmounted :infsaid fguides,

v secondary,` carriages in .thelprimary' carriages vland", adjustable ata right angle to the direction .tof adjustment roff then primary carriages, isprockety wheels carriedfby asaidi'secondary `:carriages ,.1 and f'an endless :belt conveyer 'supported by saidfsprocketWheels.

,4: In a 'machine'` :ofi-:the class described, a

- support, a-beamfp'roj ec-ting therefroin-,iguides Vonv the beam; primary' carriages. adj'ustableiin the" guides, secondary:carriagesadjustablelon the primary carriages, shafts mountedfinthe secondary carriages; sprocket Wheelson said shafts, a z slotted!-v arm 1projecting) from the abeann; avbearing block mounted "'therein,

In @testimony'i that I claiml the foregoing as i vmy own', I have hereto?'affixedg fmy signature Y '.finfthe presencetof *two'vwi-tnesses.

HFRANK M;srv-Ringenl Witnesses HENRY. JDVABAXTER, JACOBSA ALKR-ENIK. 

